1825.) 
and consequently more severe in its 
effects, in: the neighbourhood of, cities, 
than where the coast is open. But in 
every case-there prevails. most fre- 
quently a nauseous smell} pernicious to 
health, arising from the: causes above 
stated. The shores of the Mediterra- 
nean are therefore much more marshy, 
and generally unhealthy, than those of 
the ocean. This arises from the accu- 
mulation of matters, which for ages 
have been deposited there by the sea: 
because, whatever is once thrown up in 
this manner, never returns to the sea, 
except occasionally, on the blowing of 
particular winds; and it then happens, 
that a proportion of matters is depo- 
sited equal to that which is carried off. 
I therefore imagine, from this cause, 
there exists a permanent source of re- 
mittent fever, and that we ought. prin- 
cipally to impute to this the frequent 
appearance of that. disease in this 
part of the world. However, T:do not 
suppose that there may not be such 
fevers originating from other sources, 
although, unquestionably, that which 
has been pointed out is the most abun- 
dant and general all over the Mediter- - 
‘ranean shores. 
As the remittent fever has its origin, 
not from the quantity of evaporation 
from the surface of water, but from a 
particular gas or vapour evolved from 
stagnant water, containing the decaying 
remains of animal and vegetable mat- 
ters ; or from these matters, mixed with 
acertain proportion of humidity, and 
' exposed to a warm atmosphere; there- 
fore, remittent fever is developed, in 
like manner, in situations the most 
healthy as to climate; when, al- 
theugh distant from rivers, or the sea, 
the inhabitants are inattentive to clean- 
liness within their houses, or in their 
streets ; and especially where filth and 
humidity is allowed to collect around 
their habitations. 
I lately had to treat the remittent 
fever, and the hospital-sore, originating 
from a common privy, in a military 
hospital, which had never been properly 
or sufficiently cleansed ; and the recur- 
rence of these diseases was prevented, 
by turning a small rill of water in such 
a way, that it should pass through the 
upper end of the building, and thereby 
wash thesink in its passage throughout. 
Such cases as the above are, I.am con- 
fident, the most frequent cause of fever, 
especially in: barracks and garrisons : 
and although there is not sufficient at- 
tention bestowed on this point, there is 
sae 
Dr: Roberison.on Remittent Fever. 
207 
no circumstance that more particularly 
merits consideration, or which} asa 
source of remittent fever; is more within 
our control. : ° 1 ai 
It must likewise be observed; that 
wherever the decaying remains of ani- 
mal and vegetable bodies exist, impreg- 
nated with a certain quantity of hu- 
midity, the disengagement: of ; marsh 
miasma must be the natural conse- 
quence, whenever the mass is exposed 
to a certain degree of temperature. 
This temperature, therefore, occurs fre- 
quently in masses of fermenting stable 
manure, even when the heat. of the 
atmosphere is insufficient to produce 
such an effect. Thus, the filth that 
naturally collects in the gutters of fre- 
quented streets, if not frequently and 
carefully taken away, forms, certainly, 
one of the causes for the generation of 
marsh miasma, which, independently of 
every other circumstance, gives origin 
to the most severe form of remittent 
fever. 
Dead bodies always. contain a suffi- 
cient quantity of moisture within them- 
selves, and give out a vapour that pro- 
duces the worst species of remittent 
fever, whenever they are allowed to lay 
exposed to the action of the air in warm 
climates ; and, inthis way, it often hap- 
pens, that the vapour emanating from 
within the walls and from the vaults of 
churches, in those countries where it is 
the custom to bury the dead in such 
places, gives frequent origin to this dis- 
ease ; several instances of a fatal fever 
originating in this manner have fallen 
within my experience. 
Towards the end of June 1813, I hap- 
pened to be in Gibraltar; and I there 
experienced an extremely fetid and nau- 
seous smell, every time I passed the 
principal burying-ground of the :city : 
and being induced, from experience, 
to consider the miasma from this source 
as the most dangerous of all, I.there- 
fore was surprised that, with the pre- 
dominance of this cause of disease, and 
of another permanent source of miasma 
which I shall have occasion to notice, 
Gibraltar should ever be found free from 
most severe attacks of remittent fever. 
‘Probably, from causes not dissimilar, 
the plague itself has its origin; as those 
who, from long observation, have de- 
livered their opinions of the latter dis- 
ease, describe it, in the commencement, 
as well as in its termination, as similar 
to remittent fever. Again, some authors 
who have written on remittent fever, as 
it occurs in Lower Egypt, have affirmed, 
that 
